Intercultural Development Inventory Results

Today I got the test results from my Intercultural Development Inventory Test. This test is designed to measure the stage of my Intercultural Development. This is an important topic in education today, as diversity in public schools is increasing, and teacher's need to be able to teach a diverse group of students. They rate the test using a scale from 1 that is denial, to a scale of 5 being adaptation. On my IDI report, my perceived orientation score indicates how I rate my own capability in understanding and appropriately adapting to cultural differences. In this category, I scored a 126.80, which is between acceptance and adaptation on the scale. My Developmental Orientation score was 111.56, which falls in-between minimization and acceptance on the scale. In my case, I guess I overestimated my perceived cultural competency. Taking this test has made me aware that I need to develop my intercultural competence.  I now know that it is something that I need to work on throughout the rest of my college and into my new teaching career. I have been learning some good ways to try to develop my cultural competency in class. A few of the things I want to work on are; increasing fluency in foreign language, increasing my cultural self-awareness, gain general knowledge and skill about other cultures, and gain culture specific knowledge and skills. My hope is that increasing my intercultural competence will make me a better teacher in the future.

Class Update: 2/24/2011

Today in SPED 200 our small group presentations started.  The first group did their presentation on Chapter 4, Exploring Diversity in the classroom in relation to culture, language and gender. I thought they did a good job of explaining that culture is the knowledge, attitudes, values, customs, and behavior which are all part of a person's culture. They also explained that cultural diversity refers to the different cultures that we will encounter in our classrooms, and how these cultural differences affect learning. I thought they did a very nice job informing the class about how important this topic is to future teachers.  It has made me aware that I want to learn as much as I can about other cultures to become a better teacher in the future.  Next they showed us a video on exploring diversity in the classroom, which had some very good ideas about how to bring diversity into the classroom. The power Point they displayed was informative and professional. They did a nice job getting the audience involved, and the jeopardy game they chose was fun and interactive.  Overall, I was impressed, and thought they did an outstanding job.

Mrs. Johnson handed out the test results from our Intercultural Diversity Inventory (IDI) test we took last week.  She went over a little bit about how to read the report, and then instructed us to read it over the weekend and she will answer any questions we have next Tuesday.

National News Article: China's top universities will rival Oxford, says president of Yale University

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/feb/02/chinese-universities-will-rival-oxbridge

The Chinese government is spending billions of Yuan to higher education, with the hopes of propelling their top universities to the top ten. Currently China's highest-ranking school is Tsinghua at 49. Yale president, Richard Levin predicts that in twenty-five years time China will dominate the top ten in higher education.
I have conflicting thoughts on China's higher education. I think that it is wonderful that China can afford to put so much money into higher education. Their government must feel very strongly about improving their education.  On the other hand, I hope it creates some desire for the United States to stay on the top ten lists. Higher education is important, and I want the United States to continue to strive for improvement.

2/22/2011: Class Update

Today is SPED 200 we started our day by breaking into our small groups. Mrs. Johnson went over a list of five questions that we were going to be discussing in our groups. The five questions were as follows:

1.  What is Culture?
2.  What is Multi Culture?
3.  What is Diversity?
4. What is Intercultural Competencies?
5.  Define American Culture.

We talked about the questions in our small groups, Kirsten, Andrew and I, and then we discussed our answers with the rest of the class.  I thought our class had a good idea how to define these words.
We watched a video on Intercultural Competence and the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) by Mitch Hammer who created the IDI test. This video talked about the key concepts of Intercultural Competence, which are Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Competence. He also discussed some of the things that we, as students, can do to enhance our intercultural competency. Some of his ideas to increase the development are increasing fluency in foreign language, increase cultural self-awareness, gain general knowledge and skill about other cultures, and gain culture specific knowledge and skills. I thought all of his suggestions were good ones, and it makes a lot of sense that we need to learn about different cultures to be able to teach different cultures. My plan as a SCSU student is trying to learn as much as I can about other cultures before I graduate and move into the real teaching world.  I am anxiously awaiting the results from Mrs. Johnson on the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) test we took last week. I am very curious where I will fall on the arrow scale, a scale from 1 that is denial, to a scale of 5 being adaptation. This is an important topic for future teachers, because we all need to learn about diversity, and other cultures, so we know how to teach to a diverse group of students.

My First Field Experience 2/17/11

Today was my first field experience at Madison Elementary, in the St. Cloud School District. My assignment is to work with fifth grade students in the study of Language Arts.  I checked in at the office and then reported to Mrs. Louis's classroom. When I first arrived, the class was making get well cards for a 5th grade student who was hit by a bus that morning. Mrs. Louis informed me that the children were a little distracted by what had happened earlier, and I could tell that Mrs. Louis even seemed a little out of sorts. Mrs. Louis later inquired how the student was doing, and it appears he will be okay. I showed Mrs. Louis the lesson plan for week one, and then she gave me the floor. I introduced myself to the class and presented them the "Getting to Know Me" grid to fill out while they worked on their get well cards.  I roamed around the room to help if they needed it, and when they were done filling out the grid, we talked about things we had common, and then our differences. I was nervous, but the children seemed very receptive to me, which was wonderful. There is a lot of diversity in Mrs. Louis’s class, and I am looking forward to gaining experience working with a diverse group of students. After I was done with my lesson, we went to the media center and they worked on the computers, Study Island. When we got back to Mrs. Louis's class, she instructed them to read silently for twenty minutes.  Mrs. Louis asked me to go with a student out in the hall and listen to him read. I really enjoyed getting the chance to work with a student one on one.  He was from a diverse culture, but I could understand him, and he read very well.  The day was over before I knew it, and I walked with Mrs. Louis and the children outside to the bus.  Overall, I think it went well, but I hope I can be a bit more confident and a lot less nervous while presenting my lesson plan next week.

Local News Article: Obama education budget spares Pell Grants and increases spending 11% overall

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/education/?nid=roll_education
President Obama is proposing a significant jump in education funding to pay for Pell Grants. He also wants to finance his reform for elementary and secondary schools.  The House Republicans want immediate cuts in both areas. I like that President Obama does not want to cut Pell Grants.  Many needy people rely on those grants for their education, and it would be sad to see that help end. I also think an 11% increase in federal education spending would be great, but doubtful it will pass. The new federal spending won't offset education cuts that will most likely happen at the state and local levels.

2/15/2011: Class Update

Today in SPED 200, we took an online test called the Intercultural Development Inventory. This test is designed to measure our stage of development in cultural competency. This is an important topic in education today, as diversity in public schools is increasing, and teacher's need to be able to teach a diverse group of students.

Thursday I start my field experience at Madison Elementary, teaching 5th grade students.  I am excited and nervous at the same time!

Book Review: The Global Achievement Gap: Chapter 2:

Chapter two of the book, The Global Achievement Gap, written by Tony Wagner, is entitled, The Old World of School. Our nations education system has been working to close the achievement gap between white middle class and poor, minority children by requiring multiple-choice tests, and our students are measured based on those scores, and by doing so we are going further away from closing the global achievement gap. Some students can barely read and write when they graduate from high school. Mr. Wagner decides to find out how our academically well-prepared students are doing in today's education system when they graduate from high school.  Are they learning to think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, and work as a team? Will they be prepared for the 21st century job market when they graduate from high school? To find out he starts visiting schools across the United States to observe their teaching, something he calls "learning walks". The superintendent of the school usually joins him, and they go into various classrooms unannounced and observe the class. In this chapter he describes his visits to these classrooms, and his findings. In his opinion,  he reports that only one in twenty teachers are teaching their students how to effectively communicate, reason, and problem solve. In elementary schools, he summarizes some key findings from scholars at the University of Virginia who observed more than 2,500 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade classes in more than 1000 schools. The top findings, as a result of No Child Left Behind laws, are that elementary school teachers focus on teaching reading and basic math, because their students were being tested every other year, and schools need show adequate progress. There is a greater emphasis on tested content, and reduced time for other subjects. Basically, children are being taught test-prep.  The top five things that I found disturbing about the findings from all of the studies done across the U.S. in relation to our education system today are:
1. When comparing test scores from the U.S to other countries, our test scores put us behind twenty-eight other countries.
2. Our schools are not helping our students learn skills such as creativity, imagination and innovation, while countries such as China, India, and Singapore are transforming their education systems to produce creativity.
3. Children we consider the most academically talented today are not even close to where children are in other countries.
4. Education reform in India, China, and Singapore is moving in the direct opposite direction as the U.S.
5. Because we are working to close the achievement gap between white middle class and poor, minority children by requiring multiple-choice tests, and our students are measured based on those scores, we are going further away from closing the global achievement gap.
 

Class Update: 2/10/11

Today is SPED 200 our first few minutes of class we found a partner and discussed who our favorite teacher was and why he or she was our favorite teacher, for one minute each.

We watched a news broadcast on the topic of popularity and social cruelty in schools. In the beginning it explored what makes kids popular, and the power that the popular children have over kids who are not popular. Next, it talked about the fact that kids need friends, and the ones who do not have any are the children that you need to worry about.  Finally, it went into bullying at school, and how they are trying to reduce bullying. I found this to be very informative and I think will help me in the future when I am a teacher.

We broke into groups of 3 and formed our own "Anti Bullying Campaign'. We came up with ideas and slogans and wrote them down in the form of mindmaps. Overall our class had some very good ideas, and it was a great learning experience.

Class Update: 2/8/11

This morning we started class with a listening skill lesson.  We paired up into partners, and then practiced listening to our partner for one minute. Next, we talked about the book, The Global Achievement Gap, written by Tony Wagner, and went over seven survival skills.

We then moved on to the topic of the day, which was Chapter three from our text, Introduction to Teaching: Schools and Society and School bullying and Cyber bullying. Mrs. Johnson talked to us about the importance of this issue in education today, and explained how real this problem is in schools. We watched a movie Bullied, which was about a boy that was bullied at school because he was gay.  I was very sad to realize what this child had to endure at school, at the hands of bullies. School should be a place where every child should feel safe, and receive a safe education.

Local News Article: Mother: Anoka-Hennepin School Policy Contributed to gay son's suicide

http://thecolu.mn/4484/mother-anoka-hennepin-school-policy-contributed-to-gay-sons-suicide
Tammy Aeberg feels that an Anoka-Hennepin school policy helped contribute to her gay son's suicide. Her son was bullied about his sexual orientation, and she blames the school district for not intervening to stop it. She feels that the teachers in the district have their hands tied because of a policy, which states:

Anoka-Hennepin staff, in the course of their professional duties, shall remain neutral on matters regarding sexual orientation including but not limited to student led discussions. If and when staff address sexual orientation, it is important that staff do so in a respectful manner that is age-appropriate, factual, and pertinent to the relevant curriculum.

I can see Tammy Aeberg's position on this matter.  Her son should have been able to attend school in a safe environment.  Every child is entitled to a safe education, and if there is a child who is being bullied, then the district needs to intervene. School bullying is a very big problem and I think teachers and administrators need to know that they can intervene to stop the bullying.

Documentary Review: Bullied

Today in SPED 200 we watched the movie Bullied, and as a future teacher I was horrified to see how Jamie Nabozney was treated at school, a place where he should have been safe. This type of harassment should not happen at school, and it is very sad to think about the length of time Jamie endured it. Every child has the right to a safe education, and the school administration should have made sure that was the case for Jamie Nabozney. School bullying is a real problem, and very relevant in education today. I think this movie has made me realize just how serious this issue really is. It has also made me realize that when I am a teacher, I am going to do my best to make sure that bullying doesn't happen in my class, or anywhere at school. I think children should be taught how damaging bullying can be. Not just to children who are gay, but any child living with harassment. I think this movie will be a great teaching tool to educate children about bullying, and the effects it can have on someone’s life. Growing up is hard enough, but when a child is targeted, for whatever  reason, that is the kind of pressure that can lead to suicide. Luckily, Jamie's story did not end that way. He got the help he needed to fight back, have his day in court, and win. What a wonderful outcome.

National News Article from the International Herald: More German Students are Opting to Study Abroad

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/world/europe/24iht-educSide24.html?ref=internationaleducation

In Germany, more students are deciding to study abroad. The number of students deciding to study abroad has doubled from 2000 to 2008.  The increase is because the government of Germany is putting more money into higher education programs, and offering financial incentives for young people to study abroad. I like that the German government is allocating more money to higher education, especially study abroad programs.  The students taking advantage of this opportunity will gain cultural diversity and knowledge, something that has become a hot topic in today's world of education. Thirty percent of the students applying will get government grants to study abroad, which I think is a very good opportunity for the students in Germany.

Class Update: 2/3/11

The first topic on the agenda today was about an organization called Teach for America. Teach for America’s goal is to improve the quality of education in low-income communities.  This organization takes college degree graduates of all academic majors, trains them in a rigorous training program, and in return, they commit to teach in urban and rural public schools for two years. They are working to eliminate educational inequality. This falls under the new concept, alternative licensure. High education schools are collaborating with Teach for America in the hopes to get their employees licensed.

We watched a video presentation given by speaker Tony Wagner, who wrote the book, The Global Achievement Gap. Tony Wagner feels that even the best schools in the United States today do not teach what our children need to survive in the 21st century job market. The seven survival skills are as follows:
1. Critical thinking and Problem Solving.
2. Collaboration Across Networks, and Leading by Influence.
3. Agility and Adaptability.
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism.
5. Effective Oral and Written Communication. 
6. Accessing and Analyzing Information.
7. Curiosity and Imagination.

I found this fact particularly interesting, Effective Oral and Written Communication is the number one complaint about recent high school and college graduates, by their employers.

Finally, we read an adapted article from Linda Darling-Hammond's The Flat World and Education: How America's Commitment to Equity will Determine Our Future. This article talks about our current crisis in the education system in the United States today, and discusses changes that need to be made to transform our education system into the 21st century. We broke into our small groups and discussed the article.

I think the numbers speak for themselves; the United States is ranked thirty-fifth out of the top forty countries in math. In Science, we ranked twenty-ninth out of forty. These numbers have dropped since the year 2000 when the No Child Left Behind Act was introduced. These are scary statistics to me, and I agree with Linda Darling-Hammond and Tony Wagner, our Education System needs to be transformed and brought into the 21^st Century.

Class Update: 2/1/2011

Today in class, Dr. Johnson went over the MTLE, which stands for Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examination.  This is a basic skills assessment that every future teacher has to pass before you can enter the junior block of teaching. This test replaces the Praxis test, which I had already taken and passed. The MTLE test only has a 40% pass rate according to Dr. Johnson.  Good luck everyone!

We made mind maps on chapters one and two from our text, Introduction to Teaching. She broke us into our small groups to work on creating our mind maps. We used big sheets of paper and bright colored markers, and then used our creativity to create an educational mind map relating to our chapter. When we were finished, our small group presented our mind map to the other group assigned to us. Andrew, Kirsten and I worked on Chapter 2 - Developing as a Professional. This chapter focused on entering the profession of teaching, the first year of teaching, and professional development. I thought creating mind maps from the text was a very fun, creative way to read and learn from the textbook.